24: Is the Jack Bauer Movie a Sure Thing?

Published: May 24, 2010

After tonight, Jack Bauer is finally going to get a day off — for a little while anyway. Though 24 is going off the air, there are plans to make a movie based on the TV show. It’s supposedly going to involve Jack battling some form of evil in Europe. But, where does it stand?

Executive producer Howard Gordon recently told Movieweb, “The current status of the movie is that Billy Ray has written a draft which Kiefer Sutherland has read, and we’re all working together on the second draft.”

He cautioned, “Now, it’s not been shared with Fox or anybody so there is no official status right now. It’s very much a work in progress. Honestly, the movie division is on the other side of the lot and I don’t know and can’t measure their intentions or their timing, and certainly can’t measure their reaction to the script because they haven’t read it yet. ”

Gordon concluded, “So I think it’s all very much speculative at this point. I think our preference would be to do it sooner than later, of course, and get Jack back out in front of people within a year or two, but I don’t know. That would be just me speaking.”

The executive producer believes that there’s a tricky balance in crafting the movie script. He shared, “There are two sets of requirements, which is honoring the series and the creative integrity of the character, and also potentially bringing in a whole new group of people into the franchise who can then go back and watch, and believe it’s been consistent. So I think we recognize that we’re serving two masters or two audiences here, not that they are mutually exclusive but there are two requirements.”

One thing’s for sure, the conceit of events happening in real time will likely have to be abandoned. Gordon has shared in the past that the format, though interesting, often limited what kinds of stories they could tell. He believes that the movie can still work without it though. He said, “I think Jack Bauer the character has got sufficiently broad and strong shoulders to carry a movie in this genre.”

A 24 movie with jack Bauer would be an all time money earner. No doubt. If there is anyway to invest in that one I would buy every share I could muster!
Idea for Movie: China and Russia plan nuclear attack with ground forces. Jack saves the world. Audry Reins, Jack and Kim are given honor Global honor. Chloe helps with the save. At end, North Korea pushes buttun for next movie!

24 has been a great movie and it has to continue!!! please see what can be done to make this movie continue!!! And dont romove the old people completley!! let the old people continue and just bring in new ones if need be.

After the poignant final scenes, there’s a clear need for closure. It’s bad enough that we now have to get through life without 24, the series. Of course, as soon as it became apparent that a movie might be on the way, and that it would be filmed “on location” in Europe, that helps to imagine the next scenes… Bauer making it to the port of New York, stowing away on a ship bound for (who knows?) London, Rotterdam, Istanbul… A 24 movie franchise with European or other non-US locations would probably work. The Bourne franchise and of course James Bond already paved the way. And since Bourne 4 is in the toilet, and MGM (nearly bankrupt) won’t be producing a new Bond movie any time soon, there’s a clear opening for 24 The Movie. I wouldn’t want to carry the responsibility of coming up with the movie title though!

Am I the only one thinking about this? Bring back the Arch nemesis,…..Nina Myers. Her and Jack got chemistry and unfinished business. It easy to drop her in eastern Europe since she worked for the Russians before. As bad as I feel about saying this, I do like the other idea about Jack dying in the end, saving the world of course. It’s like the Green Goblin said, the one thing people like to see more is to see a hero fall. It’s the ultimate sacrifice, but also very dramatic. I like the prequel idea too.

This show was our special cliffhanger moment for my family and I during the 2 first years. Gradually, afterwards, it became too much more of the same. Sorry, I loved it, but it has run its course as far as I’m concerned. Thank you for the great moments, but it’ now time to really close the book.

I think the 2 hour movie should stick with the 24 hour concept but do a 2 hour window of the 24 hours. So as you go to the next scene, just as they do in the series, show the time. Obviously it will skip forward but it will allow them to be more creative. Say Jack has to hop on a flight the movie can skip than and pickup with the plane landing ect….

I think that it important to keep to the real time thing that has been driving the seasons because that’s one of the reasons the show was such a hit. It makes the show and events more believable interesting. Although I understand how difficult this would be and will see the movie either way.